SPONSORED COMMENT: Payments to doctors - surgical procedure is needed

Payments to doctors by pharma are like an abscess that has been festering for a long time and that now needs to be lanced. Of course, many payments to doctors are entirely appropriate and proper; however, the activities of a very small number in pharma and the medical profession have tainted the perception of the entire sector’s relationship with the medical profession.

Most doctors will not have given a moment’s thought to what the ABPI code changes mean for them. But while it’s only a very small minority who are highly engaged in pharma-funded activities, these changes will affect many doctors.

All doctors need to be made aware of the new requirements, and M3 will be informing doctors about this throughout Europe via services such as Doctors.net.uk and MDLinx.

The digital age brings many ABPI-compliant opportunities to engage with GPs and specialists, without having to pay for expensive face-to-face meetings and all the associated costs of travel, hotels, etc. We therefore expect to see more pharma companies exploring this route to engage with the profession. The patient will be all the better for having this troublesome abscess removed for good.